More often, it doesn’t. More often, an ending is a hard thing. A one-sided thing, as Los Angeles Rams longtime star receiver Cooper Kupp has made clear over the last several weeks as the team worked with his representatives to first trade him, then ultimately released him Wednesday as the new league year began.

The Rams selected Kupp in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft and he became a cornerstone of the team's offense. In 2021, he caught 145 passes for 1,947 yards with 16 touchdowns. He won NFL Offensive Player of the Year as the Rams won their first Super Bowl title. Kupp was also named Super Bowl MVP.